Softwr

Cloud · head to head

AWS (Amazon Web Services) vs kind

AWS (Amazon Web Services) logo

AWS (Amazon Web Services)

Cloud

The leading cloud computing platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
kind logo

kind

Cloud

Run Kubernetes clusters inside Docker containers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: AWS (Amazon Web Services) data transfer in is free and data transfer out is charged, which is the standard source of unexpected bills; kind requires Docker or Podman, so it inherits whatever container runtime limitations exist on the host
  • They diverge on capability: AWS (Amazon Web Services) covers EC2 - Virtual Servers, kind covers Nodes as containers.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which AWS (Amazon Web Services) and kind actually diverge.

Attributes where AWS (Amazon Web Services) and kind differ
AttributeAWS (Amazon Web Services)kind
Pricing modelusage-basedOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWeb, Api, Cli, MobileLinux, macOS, Windows
Founded2006Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cloud).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in AWS (Amazon Web Services)

  • EC2 - Virtual Servers
  • S3 - Object Storage
  • RDS - Managed Database
  • Lambda - Serverless Computing
  • CloudFront - CDN
  • VPC - Virtual Network
  • IAM - Access Management
  • CloudWatch - Monitoring

Only in kind

  • Nodes as containers
  • Multi-node topologies
  • CI-friendly
  • Local image loading

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

AWS (Amazon Web Services)

  • Web hostingnot kind
  • Data storagenot kind
  • Machine learningnot kind
  • Big data analyticsnot kind
  • Application developmentnot kind

kind

  • Spinning up and destroying a Kubernetes cluster inside a CI jobnot AWS (Amazon Web Services)
  • Testing controllers and operators against several Kubernetes versionsnot AWS (Amazon Web Services)
  • Local multi-node clusters without the memory cost of virtual machinesnot AWS (Amazon Web Services)

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

AWS (Amazon Web Services)

  • Data transfer in is free and data transfer out is charged, which is the standard source of unexpected bills
  • Discounts require one or three year Savings Plan commitments rather than being automatic
  • Every service is priced separately, so a working architecture has no single published cost
  • The free tier is a promotional allowance rather than an ongoing free plan

kind

  • Requires Docker or Podman, so it inherits whatever container runtime limitations exist on the host
  • Fewer conveniences than minikube: no addon system, so ingress and metrics need manual installation
  • Because nodes are containers sharing the host kernel, it is a weaker simulation of real node behaviour and storage

Pricing, plan by plan

AWS (Amazon Web Services)

Free
  • AWS Free TierFree
    • EC2 750 hours/month
    • 5GB S3 storage
    • 20GB data transfer
  • Pay-As-You-GoFree
    • No upfront payment
    • No long-term commitments
    • Pay only for what you use

kind

Free
  • kindFree
    • Full functionality
    • No usage limits
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose AWS (Amazon Web Services) if

  • You need ec2 - virtual servers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api, Cli, Mobile.
  • You also want s3 - object storage.
AWS (Amazon Web Services) review

Choose kind if

  • You need nodes as containers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want multi-node topologies.
kind review

Questions people ask

Is AWS (Amazon Web Services) or kind better?
Neither clearly leads. AWS (Amazon Web Services) starts at Free and kind at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AWS (Amazon Web Services) or kind?
AWS (Amazon Web Services) starts at Free and kind at Free.
Does AWS (Amazon Web Services) or kind run on more platforms?
AWS (Amazon Web Services) runs on Web, Api, Cli, Mobile. kind runs on Linux, macOS, Windows.
Can I use AWS (Amazon Web Services) for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is AWS (Amazon Web Services) best used for?
AWS (Amazon Web Services) is most often used for web hosting, data storage, machine learning, big data analytics. Of those, web hosting and data storage are not what kind is typically brought in for.
What can AWS (Amazon Web Services) do that kind cannot?
AWS (Amazon Web Services) covers EC2 - Virtual Servers, S3 - Object Storage, RDS - Managed Database, Lambda - Serverless Computing. kind covers Nodes as containers, Multi-node topologies, CI-friendly, Local image loading.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

AWS (Amazon Web Services): What are AWS's payment options and pricing models?

AWS offers four pricing approaches: pay-as-you-go (you pay only for what you use), flat-rate plans combining multiple services into one monthly price without overages, Savings Plans offering discounts on compute and machine learning with 1- or 3-year commitments, and volume-based tiered pricing where costs decrease as usage increases.

Source
kind: Is kind free?

Yes, open source and maintained under Kubernetes SIGs.

AWS (Amazon Web Services): Are there contracts, termination fees, or commitments required for AWS?

No long-term contracts are required for AWS services. No termination fees apply once you stop using the service. Savings Plans provide optional 1- or 3-year commitments with discounted hourly rates, but you can revert to pay-as-you-go pricing anytime.

Source
kind: Why run Kubernetes nodes as containers?

Speed and cost. A container node starts in seconds and uses far less memory than a virtual machine, which is what makes per-CI-run clusters realistic.

AWS (Amazon Web Services): Does AWS offer a free tier?

AWS provides a free tier that offers hands-on experience with AWS products at no charge. The free tier allows new customers to try eligible services before committing to paid usage.

Source
kind: Is kind suitable for production?

No. It is a development and testing tool, and node isolation is weaker than real nodes because containers share the host kernel.

AWS (Amazon Web Services): How do I estimate my AWS costs?

AWS provides the AWS Pricing Calculator and Cost Explorer tool to estimate costs for single or multiple services. AWS also offers cost optimization recommendations, performance reporting, and budget alerts to help track and control spending.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on AWS (Amazon Web Services)

More on kind

Keep looking

Other head to heads